HUNT – BLACKSTON WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Walker Blackston wed at six o’clock in the evening on Friday, June 20, 2014, at their home in Madison County. Mr. Lance Wesley Martin performed the double-ring ceremony.

Under the guise of a celebration prior to the couple’s intended elopement, the couple’s family was invited to a cocktail hour before the main reception. Upon arriving at the couple’s home guests were treated to champagne, cocktails, and French macarons topped with gold leaf and edible gold shimmer. Once the groom and members of the wedding party had greeted guests, they were asked to take their seats for the surprise ceremony. As guests were seated on a mixture of antique and contemporary furniture in the back lawn they were treated to musical selections provided by the Magnolia String Quartet.

Handel’s Entrance of the Queen of Sheba announced the arrival of the bride, who proceeded to her groom on a custom aisle runner adorned with a hand painted gold leaf crest. The bride wore an ivory silk faced satin Alvina Valenta gown featuring a deep sweetheart neckline with a draped, natural waist bodice, and sheer cap sleeves comprised of hand sewn lace, crystals, and pearls, which continued around to show a stunning open, low back. During the ceremony, the bride wore a hairpiece and an illusion birdcage veil by MollyGee Designs of Madison.

The bride carried a traditional hand-tied bouquet. Held within the satin ribbon of the bouquet was a white gold and diamond fleur-de-lis pendant, which was presented to the bride on the day of the wedding by Mrs. Mary Martin Guerieri to serve as her “something borrowed.” On the bride’s right hand she wore a yellow gold diamond eternity band given to her by the groom while they were dating and a yellow gold diamond and sapphire eternity band given as a part of her engagement set. These rings served as the bride’s something old and something blue, respectively.

Mister James Walker Blackston, son of the groom, served as best man. Both men wore white dinner jackets paired with custom rough, black silk cummerbunds and bowties by MollyGee Designs. On the lapels were boutonnieres of garden roses and greenery.

Following the ceremony, the couple hosted a reception to announce their union to friends and family. The Manship provided hors d’ouevres in addition to transforming the couple’s farmhouse table into a celebration-sized charcuterie board. Guests dined using vintage china and silver from the bride’s collection. Hops and Habanas provided a wide variety of beer, wine, champagne and other spirits, including several selections from Mississippi microbreweries.

The two-tiered cream wedding cake, accented by cream and Sahara roses, was displayed on an antique silver cake stand in the couple’s sitting room. The groom provided two cakes for the guests to enjoy, which were inspired by the couple’s love of New Orleans; a five-layer chocolate Doberge cake from Gambino’s and a cream, cream cheese stuffed king cake from Haydel’s. Lauren Bowie of Meringue Macaron Kitchen baked several flavors of French macarons for the occasion.

After spending the night surrounded by family and friends, the bride and groom were whisked away under a canopy of sparklers, with the indulgence of their guests, prior to departing in the bride’s 1984 Mercedes 380SL, a gift from the groom the previous Christmas. Following a “family-moon” to St. Simons, the couple resides in Madison.